@article{ref1,
title="Gait in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder : effects of methylphenidate and dual tasking",
journal="Journal of neurology",
year="2007",
author="Leitner, Yael and Barak, Ran and Giladi, Nir and Peretz, Chava and Eshel, Rena and Gruendlinger, Leor and Hausdorff, Jeffrey M.",
volume="254",
number="10",
pages="1330-1338",
abstract="BACKGROUNDCognitive function and the loading of attention presumably play an important role in gait as well as in fall risk, but previous work has not demonstrated this in any cause-and-effect way.OBJECTIVESTo gain insight into the relationship between gait and cognitive function, we sought: (1) To compare the gait rhythmicity (stride time variability) of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to controls, (2) To test the hypothesis that dual tasking leads to increased stride-to-stride variability in ADHD, and (3) To test whether pharmacological treatment that relieves ADHD symptoms reduces stride-to-stride variability.PATIENTS AND METHODSGait was quantified in children with ADHD and in age-matched healthy controls under single task and dual task conditions on three occasions: off medications (both groups) and, in the ADHD group, after double blinded, randomized administration of methylphenidate (MPH) or placebo.RESULTSAt baseline, children with ADHD tended to walk with increased stride-to-stride variability compared to the controls during the single task condition (p = 0.09). During dual task walking, stride time variability was significantly reduced in the children with ADHD (p < 0.004), but not in the controls. In the children with ADHD, the placebo did not significantly affect stride-to-stride variability or the dual tasking response. In contrast, stride time variability was significantly reduced on MPH (p < 0.001) such that dual tasking no longer affected variability.CONCLUSIONSThe present findings demonstrate alterations in the gait of children with ADHD, support a cause and effect link between cognitive function and gait, and suggest that enhancement of attention abilities may, in certain populations, improve gait rhythmicity.<p />",
language="",
issn="0340-5354",
doi="10.1007/s00415-006-0522-3",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0522-3"
}